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Eduvos hosted its annual Research Indaba from 12 to 14 November 2025 at the Bedfordview Campus and virtually across its 12 campuses, bringing together scholars, students, and industry partners from across the continent. The Indaba served as a dynamic platform to move research from theory to tangible action, focusing on how interdisciplinary and community-based approaches can address the continent's most pressing challenges.
"Research must serve communities and society. It must empower, be intentionally inclusive, and enable change," said Dr Nyx McLean, Eduvos' Head of Research and Postgraduate Studies. "Our Research Indaba is a celebration of purpose-driven inquiry that tackles real challenges and builds a future where innovation and ethics work together. It is about shaping Africa's sustainable prosperity through the power of technology and human ingenuity".
The Indaba opened with a powerful keynote from Dr Margie Maistry and Dr Kanya Padayachee, who set the tone with their address, "Community-Based Participatory Research for Global Collaboration and Regional Resilience." They championed a research model where communities are not subjects but active co-creators of knowledge, ensuring that solutions are locally relevant and globally connected.
The second day featured two pivotal keynotes that challenged and inspired the audience. Elinor Sisulu posed an important question in her address, "Equity, inclusion and access in the South African Education: A pipedream or a possibility?", sparking deep reflection on the structural barriers within the education system.
This was followed by Prof Darren Lortan, who explored the mechanics of redefining global partnerships in his talk, "Global collaboration and regional resilience through decolonised and participatory research." He argued for research frameworks that honour diverse knowledge systems and foster authentic resilience.
The final day culminated with an address from a preeminent mind in engineering, Prof Thokozani Majozi. A recipient of the Order of Mapungubwe, South Africa's highest national honour, Prof Majozi presented his keynote, "Sustainable Solutions for the Hyper-Complex World: An Interdisciplinary Research Model." He demonstrated how breaking down disciplinary silos is essential for designing the sustainable systems our future demands.
"The Research Indaba was an incredibly affirming space, demonstrating a distinct willingness to facilitate knowledge sharing across disciplines in our colleagues and students, and reflecting our shared commitment at Eduvos to generating knowledge that fully embodies our institutional pursuit of Research for Real World Impact. Driven by the ethos of meaningful collaboration, all our presenters and participants proved, undeniably, that the future of research at Eduvos is remarkable.", said Sakhe Ntlabezo Eduvos' Project Manager for Research and Postgraduate Studies.
Beyond the keynotes, the Indaba showcased groundbreaking student and faculty research with immediate relevance:
Robotics in South African Healthcare: A presentation by student Conquerant Lomberdi and supervisor Dr Banjo Aderemi investigated the adoption of robotics in local healthcare. Their findings pointed to significant benefits in surgical precision and infection control, highlighting cost as a key barrier to wider implementation.
AI for Early HIV Diagnosis Researcher Lungelo Mtshali shared a compelling model for using AI to improve early HIV diagnosis in underserved rural areas. The study demonstrated how technology can augment strained healthcare systems, drawing parallels to successful implementations in India and Kenya.
Throughout the event, a consistent thread was the importance of an ethical and collaborative research culture. By embedding inquiry into its academic programmes, Eduvos empowers students to become not just learners, but responsible innovators and co-creators of knowledge and societal change.
The 2025 Research Indaba reaffirmed that Africa's journey toward sustainable development is paved with purposeful, inclusive, and community-based research. As the continent navigates rapid change, Eduvos remains committed to championing inquiry that places people and planet at the heart of research and innovation.
Applications are open, enrol today at eduvos.com to start your journey.
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